Familia
by 95sparky95
Summary: Bomber's own family turns against her. Will her team find her in time?


Bomber's stomach churned as the taxi dropped her off outside the naval port entrance. She was already an hour late and was sure to face some sort of reprimand, but this was not what worried her. Her mind was so focused on what had happened during her shore leave that she could hardly care less about her sloppy punctuality. This was unusual for Bomber as the navy had provided her with a chance to renew herself, and she was keen to prove her reliability and that the events that occurred at the start of her navy life were a thing of the past. She quickly paid the driver and ran through security, her bag slung over her shoulders, sprinting the 200 meters to Hammersley and jumping the gate on the plank. 2dads was the only one on deck but she was sure the CO would be watching through the tinted windows on the bridge. 2dads grinned at her cheekily... as her best friend he was revelling in Bomber's wrongdoing as for once it was not himself in trouble. 'I Guess you're about to find out what it is like to be me!' he teased. Bomber however did not respond, but walked past without even acknowledging him. She barely noticed he was there; she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts.

The ship motored out of the harbour as she went straight to her room, emptying her bag into her locker and waiting for someone to summon her to the CO. Sure enough, only minutes had passed before Nav stuck her head into the room they shared and gave her a sympathetic smile. 'Why were you so late Bomb? The CO is not impressed; they had to speak to Navcom and everything because they thought we were going to have to delay departure.'

'Yea, but they didn't have to delay did they, so it wasn't the end of the world.' Bomber replied sharply and pushed past Nav, ready to meet the CO and his entire wrath (although, if she was honest it was the X she feared).

The bridge was empty except for the CO, Mike, and the XO, Kate. The captain wasted no time in questioning Bomber. 'So, why were you so late? You better have a good excuse because I am in no mood for trivialities.'

Bomber was silent for a moment. She did have an excuse, and a good one too, but she didn't really feel like sharing it. It was her burden and she didn't think she had a right to use it to avoid punishment. 'Sorry sir, I don't have an excuse, nothing worth saying anyway.' The XO was surprised at Bomber's meek reply. She was a feisty character and nothing would stop her fighting her own corner, or that of someone she cared about: this was very unlike her. The CO obviously agreed with her, as he was not harsh.

'Very well Bomber, as this is your first offence I will let you off with a verbal warning, but we will be watching you very closely and if we see anything else you will suffer the repercussions.' Bomber nodded in acknowledgement of this but did not say a word. The captain dismissed her and she left immediately.

'Did she seem a bit odd to you?' the CO asked Kate.

'She certainly was quiet. Maybe she just had a heavy time whilst on leave. I'll keep an eye on her though, and tell 2dads to do the same – they are close after all.' Mike nodded in agreement.

Bomber's next stop was the technical room where she was greeted by Robert's unsmiling face. 'Can I help you?' he asked bluntly.

'I need to check my email; it's sort of an emergency.'

'Sorry Bomber, you know the rules. All communications are for official use only for the first twelve hours. No personal privileges till then.'

'Please Robert, I have some stuff going on at home and I really need to sort it out.' Robert however remained unmoving and with a heavy heart Bomber retreated up to the deck. She sat at the rail, her knees pressed up to her chest and her back resting on the patrol's rubber side. She thought back to that day two years ago.

_Bomber was with her sister-in-law Sally and her 8 year old niece Anna. She was 19, and after eating at her brother's house, she and the girls had decided to go for some retail therapy. Bomber had just left school and had secured her first job as a fitness instructor. As the baby of the family, with two older brothers (Jamie was 25 and travelling around Europe, and Matt – Sally's husband – was 30), she had enjoyed their company all her life and Sally had become like an older sister. They had headed into the centre of town, and after several hours of browsing they were enjoying ice cream. Bomber was helping Anna decide which toy she was going to buy and Sally was messing around with her camera, taking goofy shots of the three of them. There was a loud screech of tyres, but they were in the town centre and it was not unusual. Then someone screamed and the three girls were torn from their distractions as a large 'out of service' bus began to roll off the back of a tow truck that had just swerved around a toddler. Bomber was frozen in place as the number 34 bus tumbled, seemingly in slow motion, towards them. There were maybe three seconds before the bus hit them, but in the time Bomber had unfrozen and grabbed her little niece, rolling with her over the bench in hope of protection. The bus smashed into the bench before bomber had hit the ground, and she and Anna had been hurled into the street. After that Bomber knew nothing. She had woken in hospital a week later, Jamie and her parents around her bed. Matt was nowhere to be seen. Sally and Anna had both died. Sally had been killed instantly, unable to move from the bus' immediate impact. Anna had died two days ago from her injuries she sustained when hitting the road. Apparently Bomber's injuries were about the same as Anna's: broken ribs, internal bleeding, fractured skull, she had simply had more luck. She saw Matt a week later at the funerals. He did not look at her once, and when she tried to talk to him afterwards he shoved her away and walked off. In the next year Matt suffered a mental breakdown. Jamie saw him frequently, and with a heavy heart reported each time that he refused to see Bomber: he blamed her for the deaths of his girls. Then, last time she was on leave, Matt had shown up at her door, he had cried for hours whilst explaining he realised he had been wrong to blame her, and it seemed that finally things were better. She had come home on leave this time with excitement at a full family reunion, the first in years. They were due to have dinner at her parents, and it was a great night, except Matt never showed up. Bomber went to see him the next day she was shocked to find her brother passed out and drunk on the sofa, but stayed until he had sobered up a little. She wished she hadn't. He had lunged at her with the fire poker and left her with a deep bruise across her stomach and she had run from the house in fear before driving to Jamie's and explaining everything. She was returning to Hammersley the next day and so Jamie forced her to stay the night in case Matt tried to find her._

'Bomber, are you alright?' 2dads voice cut through her thoughts and she looked into his boyish face that was creased with concern.

'Hey 2dads. Yea, I'm alright. I'm just struggling with a couple of things at the moment.'

'Can I help at all?' he asked, genuinely wanting to look after his best friend. Bomber smiled weakly.

'Not really, unless you can force RO to give me some internet time!' she was mainly joking as she said this, but 2dads looked at her seriously.

'I can try if you like, but you seem to be forgetting something quite important at the moment.' Bomber looked at him confused. 'It's lunch in 40 minutes.'

'SHIT!' Bomber swore loudly and gave 2dads a small punch on the shoulder 'you could have started with that idiot, I'm already being watched closely!' She ran down to the galley.

2dads meanwhile made his way up to the bridge. He was going to get Bomber that internet time. 'Ma'am, I have a request.' He approached the X boldly. Whilst she was more intimidating that the captain, she was also more compassionate. 'Bomber really needs some internet time, but RO is refusing for the first 12 hours.'

'Robert is just following regulations 2dads. Why does she need it so badly, and why couldn't she ask me herself?'

'um, well, to be honest I'm not exactly sure why she want it, but there is something up with her and she is really keen to get online – it will bring her back into focus I think. She didn't want to ask you at all, but she is really down and I owe her enough favours that I could do this for her.' 

'Alright 2dads, I will get her 10 minutes internet, but I want you to keep an eye on her.'

'Thank you ma'am, yes ma'am.' 2dads grinned as he went down to the mess hall for lunch. Robert would tell Bomber when she had internet.

RO was last in the queue for lunch and he grumpily told Bomber the good news. She beamed at him and slammed the food hatch shut just as Dutchy was walking up for seconds. 'Sorry Dutchy, there are no seconds for 10 minutes, come back then.' Dutchy opened his mouth to protest, but Bomber was already gone.

Bomber hastily logged on to her emails to see what Jamie had to say. It was not good.

_Hey Rebecca,_

_I'm afraid I have bad news._

_Matt has had some sort of relapse. I spoke to the doctors this morning and they told me that they diagnosed him with schizophrenia but that they were unable to tell us before as it was controlled with medication, and it was bound under patient confidentiality. Apparently we can only find out after he has become dangerous. _

_Anyway, I went to his apartment and he was gone, but there was this diary and he basically said that he wanted to kill you. I don't really know what to tell you, but mum went to the police this morning and they are looking for him, so I think you ought to stay on the ship when you next come home for leave if we haven't found him._

_I am so sorry that all this is happening. It is so unfair that we you cannot forget that horrid day, but we will just do the best that we can._

_Stay safe Rebecca._

_All my love_

_Jamie _

Bomber felt ill as she read the email. She printed a copy and then logged off, before slowly walking up onto deck and resuming her position by the patrol. 4 hours later 2dads found her with tears streaming down her face. 'I think you need to talk to be Bomber.' He implored her. She ignored him, stood up, and left to make supper.

2 days later and Bomber seemed almost back to her old self. She teased the sailors as she fed them, and her and 2dads were constantly told off for their boisterous noise and teasing. She and Nav enjoyed each other's company once more, and it was only when Bomber was alone that the happy veil fell from her face and her cheeks paled with worry. It was early morning when the island the crew was heading to came into view. They were headed to a remote clinic to drop of medical supplies, but the island was not famed for its peace and so they were going to be travelling as an armed convoy. The morning was spent preparing, and by lunchtime the patrols were loaded with supplies and weapons. Once the crew had eaten, the boarding parties made their way to the boats. Bomber was with 2dads, Spider, the ET and Dutchy. The other boat was Swain, Charge, Bird and the X.

They reached the clinic uneventfully: an hour's hike through the tough forest was tiring but they faced no trouble. In fact they received help from the men carrying guns, but when they reached the clinic the doctor told them he had sent the men to keep them safe from the other group: it seemed the other half of the island's population was less friendly. Bomber was talking to a young nurse as she helped load off products. She was telling her a little about herself 'I grew up in the middle of Oz... My parents had a ranch at Red Rock. It's in the middle of nowhere and I couldn't wait to get to the sea. My parents eventually felt the same and a few years they moved to Cairns.' The nurse looked a little surprised.

'That is the biggest coincidence. Our new nurse arrived yesterday with an identical story... what did you say the farm was called?'

'I didn't say.' She replied coldly. Fear was flooding her body... my brother had been a nurse, but how could he know we were coming here? 'What is the name of this nurse?'

'Matt... Smith I think, or is it Brown?'

'It's Brown.' She told her and hurried to the door of the clinic. 2dads was at the entrance and she pulled him down the steps and to the fringe of the forest. 'I need to tell you something' she whispered, and before she could change her mind she told him the whole story, right up to thinking her brother was here. 'But what I don't get is how my brother knew where we were going.'

2dads had the answer however: 'family can access our destinations as long as it's a 'safe' mission.' She swore and 2dads looked at me seriously. 'Do you really think he will kill you?' She nodded her head, her hands trembling. He pulled her into a tight hug.

'Oi, you two, we have work to do.' Dutchy's voice cut through to us.

2dads looked up. 'Stay here, I'll talk to him.' Bomber desperately wanted to stop him, but she was beginning to realise how much danger she may be in.

As 2dads spoke to Dutchy, she saw a familiar figure on the porch talking to the X and her heart stopped. She stepped back into the forest as her brother looked directly where she had been standing.

A hand grabbed her and blocked her mouth as she tried to scream.

When Bomber woke she tied up and gagged. Her head was throbbing and she guessed she had been knocked out. Worst of all, her brother was standing over her. He smiled when she looked at her. 'Rebecca. Thank goodness you're awake. I was worried for a moment. I spoke to your boss at the clinic. She spoke very highly of you when I said how helpful you'd been. It's weird. People think you are so wonderful. It's all mum and dad and Jamie have told me the last two years. I must admit, you do seem a good person, and I'm sorry that I have to do this.' His eyes had filled with tears, and as he spoke his voice caught from sincere sadness. 'You see, I really don't want to. But, my head, it's my head. It tells me things you know. I can escape when you die it tells me. It won't be so bad for you I promise. You will be with my girls. I know they will be happy to see you.'

I fought my gag as he spoke, and seeing my struggle he pulled it out for me. 'Mattie, what are you doing this for? If you don't want to then you don't have to. I will help you, but you have to let me go. Please Matt, my friends will be looking for me. You don't have to do this.' As I spoke he kept his eyes screwed shut.

'NO' he yelled. 'They say you are lying. I don't have a choice.' He kicked me hard in the ribs and I gasped in pain and shock. This was not the man I had grown up with. 'Now you need to get up. We aren't in the right place.' We were in the middle of the forest, just me and him, and a rucksack that lay at his feet. He opened the bag and pulled out a knife and a small gun. My hands started shaking. He used the gun to force me to my feet, my head swimming. 'We are going up ok'. He prodded me forwards and I began to walk.

Two hours later and I was really terrified. I had not heard a peep from my crew. Why weren't they searching? My brother had not said a word. We had not stopped. My head hurt but I ignored it, doggedly walking on. We were nearing to the top of the large hill we had been walking.

Back at the clinic and village chaos had ensued. Dutchy had to physically restrain 2dads from chasing Bomber. The forest was simply too dangerous. The 'good guys' had interrogated one of the rebels and learnt that Matt had made a deal with them before coming to the island... they would take his sister in exchange for weapons which he had duly given them. An hour had passed since Bomber disappearance before the CO gave them permission to set off. The Doctor gave the team strict instructions on where to go: apparently a large part of the island was swamp with toxic gas. The crew were all equipped with oxygen in case their search took them there. They began to search slowly.

Bomber and her brother had reached a cliff. Her brother had pulled out the knife, but his hands were shaking. 'I am so sorry' he whispered. He cut the bonds on her wrists and put the knife away. She stared at him confused. 'Start climbing.' he commanded. She stared at him. 'You have two minutes and then I start shooting.' Bomber stared at her brother as he started counting: '1,2,3,4...' She stepped to the cliff edge. It was about 50 metres high, but there were plenty of ledges and it didn't look too hard. She began to climb. She had barely gone 5 metres when her brother's head stuck out over the edge, followed by the arm waving the gun. He was sobbing, begging for forgiveness, as he pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit the rock a foot from Bomber, but splinters of stone flew out, peppering her torso with small shrapnel. The next shot was even closer and her arms stung from the tiny shards. By this time she was around 10 meters down and refused to look up. Two more shots were fired and then there was a pause as her brother reloaded. She used the time to descend as fast as possible and by the time the next shot was fired only had 10 meters to go. Her luck couldn't last though. It was too good to be true. 8 meters from the ground and the bullet just nicked her inner arm. It did not stop there however, ricocheting off the cliff face and entering her abdomen. The pain was excruciating and Bomber found herself unable to hold on. She plunged to the ground and lay motionless. Her brother slowly put the gun away and left her body far below.

The crew heard the gunshots and sprang to action, sprinting to where they had heard the sound. Whilst it had taken Bomber two hours to get to the cliff top, the crew only needed to get to the bottom, and it was a mere ten minutes before they reached the place Bomber had fallen. Bomber however, was not there. All that remained was a pool of blood.

Bomber had staggered to her feet almost instantly, struggling to draw a breath and her head spinning. She half walk, half dragged herself into the forest, trying to get away from her brother and back to her crew, but could hardly keep her eyes open, let alone work out which direction to go. Unable to focus, she slumped to the ground at the foot of a tree, and let the world fade out around her.

It was not hard for the crew to find where she had gone and 2dads led the way into the forest. Several steps in he hesitated and then broke into a sprint. Bomber was lying at the foot of a tree, inches from a muddy bog. Even as he approached her he found it hard to catch his breath, and he yelled a gas warning back to the crew, stopping them from following him in. He reached Bombers lifeless body and scooped her up, trying to look past all the blood and see her injuries. She was not breathing. He took her to the clearing where Swain pressed an oxygen mask to her face. Dutchy did the same to 2dads and he gratefully inhaled the pure air. Swain was performing compressions on Bomber, willing her to breathe, and what seemed like an eternity later, the mask crackled, indicating a breath had been taken. Swain then looked at the rest of her broken body. She was bleeding from her abdomen, and he raised her shirt to see the mess the bullet had made. There was no exit wound, but there was little the medic could do except stop the bleeding till he had better supplies. He did not know what had happened, whether or not she had fallen, but either way, he had no choice but to let Dutchy scoop her up and make their way to the clinic as fast as they could.

At the clinic there were two doctors but limited equipment. There was, for instance, no x-ray machine so they simply had to assume to worst. The doctors then performed exploratory surgery to remove the bullet still in her abdomen. Whilst it had missed most organs, her appendix was shredded and they carefully worked to fix her as best as they could. They were able to fix the internal bleeding around her lungs from the broken ribs as well. The next step would be to get her back to Hammersley, but first they wanted her partly conscious to see how bad her injuries were. It was 8 hours before Bomber woke, but when she did, she wanted to know everything.


End file.
